Drier for paper-making machines



Feb. 9, 1932.

H. E. HOLCOMB DRIER FOR PAPER MAKING MACHINES Filed June 29, 1928INVENTOR Early Ef/Yoco/fz BY A TORNEYS @M A N i l im. @www C C wwf @C xXC\ wm. .$1 u ---5--- ---I NW1-- NJW., 1 NN WN wm. QM. N

Patented Feb. 9, 193.2l

UNITED sTaTlezs' PATENT OFFICE' HARRY E. HOLCOMIB, `OJ? STRATFORD,CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO FIBEBFRAKS, INC.,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK Damn ron PAPE-amanteMACHINES Application led June 29, 1928. Serial 110.289,248.

This invention is concerned with the rovision of a drier for papermaking mac ines, adapted to receive the wet liber web from the pulp tankand deliverit in a dry condition.

An object of the invention is to provide a drier 1n which a breakoccurring in thetiber web inthe course of its passage through thedrierdoes not necessitate stoppageof the machine and the resultant overdryingof a por-A tion of the'web.

Another object is to provide a drier which may be substantiallyenclosed, and in consequence a drier which maybe heat insulated asopposed to the present open type driers roxn1 which much heat iscontinually dissipate Another object is toprovide a drier which ishighly ciicient in operation due not only to its heat insulatingqualities, but due to the manner in .which the paper web is subjected tothe action of drying air currents.

Another object is to provide a drier in which the use of steam heatedrolls is avoided, and the difliculties and disadvantages incidental tothe use of such rolls consequently eliminated. Notable among suchdisadvantages are the matting and ironing of the paper, the sticking ofthe paper on the rolls ewhen the travel of the web is temporarilystopped, and the consequent breaks in the web caused by such sticking.

Another object is to provlde a drier utillzing dryin air currents ofconsiderable force and velocity, while at the same time so supportingthe pa er web that it is sustained against sagging y its own weight andagamst deflection under the force of vsuch air currents. l

vStill another object of the invention 1s t o provide a drier which Willturn out a unlform, porous, unbroken web of paper and which 1s thereorepeculiarly adapted for use as an elemento'f a continuous rocess machlne.

Otherfandmore general o jects of the- 1nvention are to `rovide a drierof simple ractical constructlon which will be rugge durable and eiicientin use and whichis well suited to the requirements of economicalmanufacture and inexpensive operation.

In a preferred embodiment of the inventionfth'e wet ber web is strippedfrom its collector screen by a suction apparatus and passed into thedrier where it is received between a pair of endless reticulatedsupporting webs which car it in a tortuous path around a suitable serlesof guiding rollers.

In the course of its travel the web is substantially continuallysubjected to a strong draftnpf hot drying air, the foraminous nature'ofthe supporting webs permitting free passage of the air currents overboth surfaces of the paper.

Preferably the various runs of pa er coopcrate with suitable baillemeans to irect the course of the drying air currents, and the path oftravel of the air current in intimate relationship with thepaper is arelatively short one. By virtue of this arrangement I materially improvethe action of air drying machines in which the air currents are causedto travel in a long tortuous pathv over the web and become so thorou hlyhumidied by the wet pa er web that t eg' have lost most of their eectiveness long efore they pass to exhaust from the drier.

With the above noted and other objects in view, the invention consistsin certain novel features of construction and combinations andarrangements'of parts as willbe more full hereinafter described andpointed out in t e claims.

The invention may be understood V more fully from the followingdescription in connection' with the accompanying drawing which is asomewhat schematic, vertical sectional view through a drier embodyingthe invention, illustrating diagrammatically the pulp tank from whichthe wet paper web is assed to the drier and the roller for passmg thedry paper from the drier to the sat-I urating tank or other apparatus.

A drier chamberor dr house 10 is substantially wholly enclose save forthe two small openings 11 in one end to accommodate the two horizontalruns of the endless delivery web 12 and the slot 13in the opposite endthrough which the dried pa er web 14 emerges and is passed over a ro er15.

The delivery web 12, of felt or other suit- 17 mounted exteriorly andinteriorly respectively of the drier. The lower run of the endless web12 passes closely adjacent a suction head 18 which serves to `strip thewet fibrous sheet fromthe endless collector web 19 upon which the fiberhas been deposited in the pulp tank. The suction head also serves toremove some water from the web.

The fiber sheet is held against the under face of the lower run of theweb 12 by sucper guiding` rollers 23. Each substantially vertical run ofthe webs from the upperrollers to the lower rollers or vice versa swingsn back toward the end of the drier which the web has entered. The onlylongitudinal movement of the web through the drier is accomplished asthe web passes from one lower roller to another or from one upper rollerto another. By this expedient the web is caused to travel a longdistance and is subjected to the action of a considerable quantity ofdrying air, while it is passing through a comparatively short dryingchamber.

Bailles extending transversely of the drying chamber cooperate with thewebs to direct the.

course of the air currents. ,Two sets of such batlies are used, thelower set .being of J-shape and the upper set being of inverted J-shape.The hook shaped 4bottom 24 of each lower deflector rather closelyfollows the path 'of the webs around a pair of lower rollers 22 and thevertical leg 25 of this baille extends upwardly between adjacentvertical runs of the web .and terminates between and adjacent a palr ofupper rollers 23. The upper baffles on the other hand include hookshaped portions 26 substantially embracing the pairs of spaced upperrollers 23, and depending leg portions 27 which extend downwardlybetween adjacent runs ofthe web and terminate midway between and closelyadjacent a pair 'of lower rollers 22.

.rents of air downwardly through the interspaces formed by the hookedportions 26 of the upper baille set. The upwardly flowing air currentsfrom the lower blower pass between the leg of one lower baffle and oneupwardly travelling run of the paper web, thence around the top of thisleg and downwardly into the space defined by the opposite face of theleg and another downwardly travelling run of the web. Near the bottom\of this space the air is exhausted through an outlet port 28a.

The air currents from the upper blower travel a similar but reversedpath, passing downwardly on one side of the leg 27 upwardly on theopposite side thereof and outwardly through a port 32.

The air'exhausted from the ports 28a, 32 may, if desired, be partiallyor completely dried, mixed with a supply of fresh air and recirculatedby the blowers which latter may be inside or outside of the housing 10.

The means for heating the drying air may be alocated exteriorly of thedrier chamber or may comprise conventional heat generating units of anysuitable type located withinthe various bailes and the drier wall, whilethatv portion of the web 21 not disposed in paper carrying position istrained over rollers 37, 38 between baiiles' 31 and the drier roofd Theupper web 21 leaves the paper web just as the latter reaches the Iirstone of the last pair of rollers 23 and the lower web leavesI the paperjust as the latter passes from said last one of the last pair of rollers23 and is drawn outwardly through the slot 13 by the roller 15.

Obviously many other roller arrangements might be provided for trainingthe portions of the reticulated webs which are not in engagement withthe paper. Obviously also the exact arrangement ofthe rollers aboutwhich the paper web and carrier webs travel as a unit is .subject toconsidera-ble variation within the spirit of the invention and the scopeof the claims. This is also true of the particular disposition of thevarious balles, blowers and exhaust ports.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that break is unlikely tooccur in the paper web except as the result of a fla-w in the stock orsome similar cause and that such breaks do not necessitate stoppage ofthe drier, sincethe paper is always securely held between the twocarrier webs.

The paper leaves the drier in av porous thoroughly dry unmattedcondition. The air currents blown with considerable force through arelatively short path, dry the paper effectively and are passed toexhaust before they become sufficiently humidiied to lose their eciency.

since this pressure is substantially balanced at opposite sides ofthepaper except at points where the paper web is b-acked by the hook shapedends of the deflectors or baiiles. A s.

the webs 2() and 21 are of wire gauze they will not absorb any of thewater and will let the air contact directly with the paper through theapertures so that the paper is rapidly dried while being firmlysupported.

Having thus described my invention, what II claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a drier for paper making machines, a substantially closed chamberhaving .an inlet and outlet at opposite ends, rollers for guiding theweb in a substantially serpentine path through the'chambers, lower andupper vertical sets of baffles projecting respectively into the U andinverted U loops formed by the adjacent runs of the web and cooperatingwith said runs to define directing channels for the drying air currents,blower outlets discharging air into the chamber above and below the web,said air passing around each baffle in the direction of thetravel of theweb, and exhaust ports through which the air escapes after it has passedover the iurface of substantially a complete paper oop.

2. In a drier for paper .making machines, a substantially closed chamberhaving an inlet and outlet at opposite ends, rollers for guiding the webin a substantially serpentine path through the chamber, lower and uppervertical sets of baffles projecting respectively into the U and invertedU loops formedby the adjacent runs of the web and cooperating with saidruns to define directing channels. for the drying air currents, bloweroutlets discharging air into the chamber above and below the web, saidair passing around each baille in the direction of the travel of theweb, and exhaust ports through which the airescapes after it has passedover the surface of' substantially a complete paper loop, -said baiileseach including a hooked end substantially embracing the closed end ofeach loop and its roller means andbacking such portions of the loopsagainst distortion under air pressure.

3. In a drier for paper making machines, a substantially closed chamberhaving an .inlet and outlet at opposite ends, rollers for guiding theweb in a substantially serpentine path through the chamber, lower andupper vertical sets of baiiles projecting respectively into the U andinverted U loops formed by the adjacent runs of the web and cooperatingwith said -runstodefine directing channels for thev drying air currents,blower outlets' discharging air into the chamber above and below theweb, said air passing around each baille in the direction of the travelof the web, and exhaust ports through which the air escapes after it haspassed over the surface of substantially a complete paper loop, saidbailles each including a hooked end substantially embracing the closedend of each loop and its roller means and backing such portions of theloops against distortion under air pressure, the closed end of each looptravelling around a pair of spaced rollers and the adjacent runs of theloops between upper and lower roller sets being inclined relatively toeach other and to the baille between them.

4. In a drier for paper making machines, a chamber, sets of upper andlower rollers over which the paper web to be dried is trained in aseries of alternating U and inverted U bends, a set of upper verticalbaille plates pendent into the U bends, a similar series of platesprojecting upwardly into the inverted U bends, means for blowing airfrom opposite sides of the web around the respective bailes in pathsdelined by the balllesand which the air passes to exhaust after it haspassed substantially completely around each baille.

5. In a drier for paper making machines,

series of plates projecting upwardly into the.

inverted U bends, means for blowing air from opposite sides of the weblaround the respective baffles in paths defined by the battles and iadjacent runs of the web, and means through its adjacent runs of theweb, and means through.-

which the air passes to exhaust after it has passed substantiallycompletely around each battle, the blower inlets being located adjacentthe upper and lower corners of the chamber. and additional baille meansfor d'1-Y recting the air currents from said blower means-into thespaces between the vertical bailles and the runs of the web.

6. In a drier for paper making machines, i a chamber, sets of upper andlower rollers adjacent runs of the web, and means through which the airpasses to exhaust after it has passed substantially completely aroundeach baille, each vertical baille including a lateral extension at itsouter end closing the space between the baffle' and pone adjacent run oflso the web. v

7. A drier for paper making machines including a pair of endlessreticulated carrier websior lconveying' the paper therebetween,

.rollers for guiding the webs in -a' substantially serpentine pathlforming U loops, the carrier webs serving to support the paper fromboth -sides during its travel along the sides of said loops from one setof rollers to the other, a baille projecting into each loop and'havingan air inlet and an air outlet upon opposite sides adjacent to one end,whereby an air passage is formed within. the loop along opposite sides.of the baffle, and means for delivering air through the passages to saidloops in parallel. Y

8. A drier for paper making machines including a pair of endlessreticulated carrier rollers for guiding the webs in a substantiallyserpentine path forming U-loops, the carrier webs serving to support thepaper from both sides during its travel along the sldes of said loo sfrom one set of rollers to the other, a bae projecting into each loopand forming therewith a separate air passage 1n each loop along oppositesides of said baille, means for delivering a separate air current to'each such passage adjacent to one end thereof, and means for exhaustingthe air at the opposite end of the passage whereby the web is dried fromopposite sides by evaporation of the moisture through the wire mesh.

Signed at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairlield and State ofConnecticut, this 27 th day of June, A. D. 1928.

HARRY E. HOLCOMB.

websfor conveying the paper therebetween,

rollers for guiding the webs in a substantially serpentine path formingU loops, the

carrier webs serving to support the paper from both sides during itstravel along the sidesof said loops from one set of rollers Ato theother, a baiile projecting;l into each loop and having an air inlet andan air outlet upon opposite sides adjacent to one end, whereby an airpassage is formed within the loop along opposite sides of the baiiie,and

-anv air supply conduit connected to each of said inlets for deliveringair through said passages.

' 9. A drier for paper making machines including a pair of endlessreticulated carrier webs for conveying lthe paper therebetween, rollersfor guiding the webs in a substantially serpentine path forming U loops,the carrier webs serving to support the paper from both sides during itstravel along the sides of said loops from one set of rollers to theother, a baille projecting into each loop and having an air inlet and anair outlet upon opposite sides adjacent to one end, said end having aportion closely adjacent to one of said webs to prevent flow of airtherebetween, and the other end of the baille being spaced from said webto permit the passage of air around the end of the baille.

10. A drier for paper making machines, in,

'cluding sets of spaced rollers, a pair of carrier webs for conveyingthe paper back and forth in a serpentine path between said sets A ofrollers and forming U loops, and bales projecting into said loops, theouter end of each baffle being disposed closely adjacent to the web tosubstantially prevent air passage between the baille and web andtheopposite end terminating within-the loop and spaced from the web, and anair inlet to each loop between the baffle and web adjacent to the firstmentioned end of the balile.

11: A drier for paper making machines including a pair of endless wiregauze carrier webs for conveying the paper therebetween,

